Playhouse Auction Benefiting Abused Children

A group of playhouses are on display at NorthPark Center as part of Dallas CASAs 17th Annual Parade of Playhouses, helping abused and neglected children in Dallas County. (credit: CBSDFW.COM)

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) – There are more than a dozen child size playhouses currently on display at NorthPark Center in Dallas. A raffle and auction is giving shoppers the chance to own a new playhouse while helping abused and neglected children in Dallas County.

For the next few weeks the playhouses will be on display. While nothing says “childhood fun” like an old-fashioned playhouse, these houses represent a life-and-death topic.

“It’s a way for anybody in the community to support abused children,” Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) volunteer recruitment coordinator Lynn Brooks explained.

The Dallas CASA organization consists of volunteers who stand as voices in court for abused and neglected children and help get children to safe, permanent homes.

“Our volunteers are trained to gather information and make recommendations that help judges decide where children should live safely and permanently,” Brooks said.

There are 16 playhouses, built by volunteers and corporate sponsors, on display. Fifteen of them will be raffled off and the 16th is part of a public auction.

The playhouse styles range from contemporary to traditional.

“We have a lighthouse. We have a western-style fort frontier. We have an airport hangar, with an airport,” Brooks said of the displays.

Money raised from the raffle and auction will be used to recruit, train, and equip more CASA volunteers. Brooks said volunteers are desperately needed and that currently CASAs are only able to help two out of five children in protective care.

“There are nearly 2,000 children living in the foster care system in Dallas County alone and we are only able at this point to represent about 40-percent of these children,” Brooks said.

The Dallas CASA Parade of Playhouses will be on display until Sunday, August 19.